Canada plays for the second night in a row, but it should have no bearing on the outcome of this game. The Canadians are rolling right now with 13 goals for and only 1 against, the penalty kill is at 100% and they are getting goals from everyone. In the last game, expectations were put on guys like Mark Scheifele and Ryan Strome; they delivered. Scheifele had two goals in the 5-0 win over the Czech Republic and it seems that one of Canada's biggest strengths when they assemble these teams every year, is that when they need someone to step up, they do.

It's always been a feather in the cap of Hockey Canada and the coaching staff, as to how quickly these teams come together with such limited preparation time.

With the exception of an inexplicably timed New Years Eve matinee game against the Islanders, tonight's game against the Minnesota Wild will bring 2011 to a close for the Edmonton Oilers and us legions of fans all around the world.

Tom Renney says he is hopeful his Edmonton Oilers can find a way to squeeze eight points from the team's upcoming six-game road trip and stay within hailing distance of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Whether Renney actually believes that is another matter.

Seven games, thirteen days, seven time changes and over 13,500 km to travel....OUCH. That works out to just a little less than flying from Edmonton to Vancouver 13 days in a row. That is the Oilers current road trip.

Even though they came home for the Christmas break the game in Vancouver there remains another six more to go...lots of time to come together for the long term.